Page 89 of Escaping Our Reality

This is no kid.

This is Trey.

I freeze in my tracks. I don’t have to worry about ruining our proper introduction, though. Trey does all the work for me. Crossing the distance between us, he reaches out his wiry hand. “I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of formally meeting. I’m Trey Holland.”

I stare at his hand, feeling like I’m about to be sick.

Eventually he snatches it back. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude not to shake someone’s extended hand?”

I snap my body into position and lift my chin. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to sneak up on someone. At night. On property that’s not yours. Uninvited.”

“I didn’t know I needed an invitation to visit a friend. I was looking for Crutch.”

There’s no point in lying. We both know that if Ry were here, he’d already be standing outside, right between the two of us. Teeth bared. Fists clenched. “He’ll be back any minute. He’s on a run with the wrecker.”

“Pity. Been too long since I’ve seen him. We’ve missed having him at the parties lately.”

“You don’t really strike me as friends.”

A smidge taller than me, he’s definitely more put together than Trash. I can only conclude he must use wayless of his own product than Trash does. His clothes are clean, and his face doesn’t have any sores on it. But his frame is still thin. And he has bluish circles underneath his eyes. “Oh, but we are.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “I’ll be sure to add you to our Christmas card list this year.”

He snorts. “Heard you were a bitch. Now, I see it’s true.”

I don’t dignify him with a response. And that irks him.

“I also heard you were asking some questions. Questions about me and my business. Anything you care to ask me? Cut out the middle man.”

“Iwasasking questions. Everyone who knows me knows that I’ve been asking questions about my missing sister. It’s no secret she came out to this part of the county on occasion before she disappeared. The police were even here questioning people at the gas station. They have her on camera, buying gas, making purchases. What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t do my own due diligence?”

“Well, just so you know, we are very protective of our own out here. Someone might interpret your questions wrong. Think you’re trying to pin your sister’s decision to run away on us less fortunate folks. I can’t be held responsible for what someone might do if they think you’re trying to hurt us, hurt our simple way of life out here.”

I narrow my eyes. “Is that a threat?”

At least he attempts to act contrite. “Of course not. I’m just saying people seem really protective of me for some reason.”

“Gee, I wonder why? And why on earth would you say my sister ran away? There’s no truth behind that whatsoever.”

“Really? I could have sworn that’s what I heard. So, what areyoudoing? You’ve been spending a lot of time out on this side of the county lately. A little far away from home, aren’t we?”

“Where I spend my time should be of no concern to you.”

He lights another cigarette. “True. But you’re obviously trying to escape from something. Or someone.” He tilts his head back, blowing smoke into the sky. “You can play house with Crutch all you want, but it doesn’t change one damn thing. He’s one of us, and you are one ofyou. You think money and status and social hierarchy have no bearing on your relationship with him? Think again. He’ll always be the poor boy with noprospects and no future. And that will be the one thing that will tear the two of you apart. One day you’ll see. He will always choose his own miserable, pitiful life over the rich, make-believe world you live in.”

Liar. Pathetic stupid liar. Nothing will tear Ry away from me. My jaw clenches so hard, pain erupts through my temples, stabbing me like an ice pick to the brain. “How dare you? You know nothing—”

He completely interrupts me. “Trash said you made a special trip to the gas station the other day. Bought some of that Blackberry Tea that sells so well. How’d you like it?”

“How do you think I liked it? Do I look like one of your normal ‘tea drinkers’?”

“You look like some of them. Take your sister, for instance. Man, she was a beautiful piece of ass.”

Pure hatred seeps through my skin like sweat on a hot day. I can think of nothing else except beating the smile off his pasty face until he’s left with nothing but a mouth full of blood and broken teeth. I lower my arms and bounce on my foot, ready to body slam his ass to the ground, when I hear the tell-tale hum of the wrecker, slowing down, preparing to make the turn into the large parking lot. The hiss of the air brakes is unmistakable. I glance at the road, trying to get an idea of how much time I have.

By the time I turn my attention back to Trey, he’s gone. Scanning the area around me, I spy him walking past the gas pumps, getting ready to head into the gas station. Laughing, he gives me a mock salute.

I salute him back. With one very important finger.

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